Feature: Villy V

VV: I started modeling when I was 19. My best friend wanted to study photography and I was her model for portfolios. Some experienced photographers had seen her photos of me and invited me to pose for them. Soon after that I started to pose in Photoklub Zagreb, but it was just a part time job to earn some extra money during my studies. My first real engagement was in 2012 when I was acting in a commercial for an internet provider in Croatia. My face had appeared on billboards, in newspapers and magazine ads, and in a TV commercial that was banned on national television because of controversy (you can see it here). A year ago I founded DAMNmodels agency with my boyfriend and I’m one of the models there. Through the agency I work for a number of alternative brands!

GGotW:What attracts you to the gothic style?VV: I’ve always been a gothic soul! When I was a kid I had seen some gothic people and was fascinated with their image, in a high school I started listening to goth music and I’m still a big fan of Clan of Xymox and Sisters of Mercy. So, gothic style is my natural choice.

GGotW:What is your connection to Gothic and Amazing Magazine?VV: My friend somehow met the owner of G&A – Sil, and started to work with her on the magazine. Sil had some problems with her former designer so my friend recommended me to help. After the designer left the team, I took over the job of layout and design for the magazine.GGotW:Do you only work in Croatia?VV: I work in Croatia but many brands send me their clothes from USA, UK and around the world. Also, I’m always ready to travel anywhere if it’s a good engagement! I still have not worked outside of Croatian but I’d love it soon!

GGotW:Besides modeling, what kind of art do you do?I have a masters in graphic design so I do design. Mainly, album covers, merchandise and websites for various bands. I’m also a photographer. I started with photography in college and I realized I love it! Today, it’s my hobby but also, it’s my real job. I prefer to photograph people as well as landscapes and architecture.

GGotW:If you could work outside of Croatia, where would you like to go?VV: I like to travel and I visited a lot of countries in last few years. I like to discover some new places so I would like to go somewhere where I’ve never been. Also, I visited London many times but I always love to come back, so I would like to work there as well. Even I would like to find full time job in London and move there someday, but in this moment it’s too complicated

GGotW:Does DAMN only have Croatian models or are you across Europe?VV: DAMNmodels is sill new and small agency and we have Croatian models but situation in Croatia is not good and young people are leaving, so big percent of our models are not Croatian based anymore. Our model Nika lives in Denmark, Lady MacBeth lives in Graz, Greta MaCabre moved in Shanghai few months ago and Nea Dune moved in Los Angeles. Our ex model Iskra moved to Switzerland so she left the agency. Many girls from different European countries want to be our models, but in this moment we don’t have the means to provide them engagements so I it makes no sense for them to join our agency in this moment.

GGotW:Can you name some of the bigger clients that you do Graphic Design for?VV: In fact, I still didn’t work for bigger clients as freelance designer. I’m working as a photographer, web and layout designer in Playboy Croatia, but Playboy is my employer, not client. As freelance designer, I worked banners for The Gothic Shop, websites, merchandise and artworks for some still unknown metal bands (but i believe they will be popular in the future) like Dienamic and Fuel For Disaster from Norway, D.Hate from Ukraine, Rising Dream, Rapid Strike, Infernal Tenebra and Avicularia from Croatia etc. I’m also working for some legendary Croatan / Ex-Yu band because my boyfriend is a music manager so I’m always in touch with bands. Once I got the chance to design a cover for compilation CD in Terrorizer Magazine (something like Fear Candy). It was “Beast from the East” compilation with eastern European bands.Click the reaction buttons if you want to seen more models like Villy V